Beyond the moon - 1 : Dreams

22 - THE MUSEUM

When I entered my room, I could not help but think of Chris's kisses. I felt troubled. I was already struggling to choose between two men, it was out of questions that I create other trouble by falling in love with a third. Unless that's the solution to my problem, I thought. Falling in love with another? No ! Chris subjugated me, of course, but I could not say I was in love with him. Nevertheless, something attracted me to him from the beginning. As soon as I found myself in his presence, I felt bewitched, hypnotized by its beauty and elegance. A mystical force made me trust him, despite the fact that he was not human. It was a vampire, and I, poor little human, I could not project into a relationship with a vampire. We were not the same world. Yet just like Samuel, he was different from me. But when we went out together, I did not know who he was. And maybe if I had known before, I would not have responded to Samuel's advances. This strange universe scared me, in spite of everything. But paradoxically, it fascinated me just as much.

During the day of classes that Thursday, Allison had the joy of announcing good news. Ethan had finished the repairs on my car and was planning to bring it home at night. Unfortunately, the memory that Chris would pick me up after classes came back to me. It was necessary at all costs that they do not cross each other. So I had to ask Ethan to come and bring it to me another day and even offered to pick it up myself, because he did not have his license yet. But he insisted on driving her, to test the two hundred and fifty yards to go to my house, if the car was running perfectly. Finally, he agreed to come on Friday night for a drink with Samuel and Allison so that I could thank them for their hard work and their patience for retouching this car.

When I got home from school, I had only 15 minutes left to get ready before Chris arrived. I did not know where we would go yet, but the weather was a little gray, unfortunately. For Chris, I imagined it was a great day without sun.

When Chris's car crossed the driveway, I was already standing in front of my front door, ready to go.

- How are you ? I asked Chris, getting into his car.

"Good," he replied, smiling.

- Where are we going today?

- Not very far, because I imagine you must not come back late!

- Yes exactly ! I was just going to tell you, I said.

- In this case, we will go to Saint-Lô to visit a very special museum.

- In Saint-Lô? But, it's an hour away!

- Not for me ! he said with a smile, raising his eyebrows.

Chris took a bunch of small country roads, at a speed that was close to one hundred and fifty kilometers an hour. I was not very reassured by the speed at which he was driving, but I knew I could trust him, at the sight of the sure gestures and reflexes he had.

In less than twenty minutes we were parked in the museum car park. I felt a little nauseous coming down from the car.

- Will it be ok? Chris asked me.

- Yeah, I think!

He walked near me to the wicket, deliberately keeping a certain distance between us.

I pulled a note out of my wallet to pay for the entrance to the museum.

- Leash ! Chris ordered me. It's me who invites you.

- No, it's me who asked you out. It's up to me to pay our tickets.

- But it's me who chose to take you here, so keep your money. I had plenty of time to save, he quipped.

I imagined perfectly well that since his long new life, if I may say so, he must have put a lot of money and invested in many projects. Like his car, for example. Now I understood better how he had offered it.